Ex-federal officer in South Texas gets prison for bribery

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — A former Customs and Border Protection officer in South Texas must serve more than two years in federal prison for accepting an immigration-related $500 bribe.

Jose Javier “J.J.” Gonzalez of Mission was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months. The 38-year-old Gonzalez earlier pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official.

Prosecutors in McAllen say Gonzalez in 2014 accepted a bribe to issue what’s known as an I-94 permit, which allows an individual to travel farther into the interior of the U.S.

Gonzalez was indicted and arrested in 2017.

Court records show five counts of fraud activity related to government computers were dropped in the plea agreement. Investigators alleged Gonzalez did computer searches, not related to his law enforcement duties, to obtain information on other federal personnel or suspects in drug cases.